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See also: Public Programs
Catalogue Essay by Alex Taylor
MEDIA RELEASE
120° of Separation
Selected works by artists from 3 studios located within 500
metres of Linden
Espy Artists Studios
30 The Esplanade Studios
St Kilda Bowling Club Studios
29 MAY – 27 JUNE 2004
St Kilda has been the home and/or workplace of many of
Australia’s leading artists, from Albert Tucker and Joy
Hester to Peter Booth, Jon Cattapan and Callum Morton. It is
widely acknowledged that St Kilda’s dynamic artistic
community helped to provide the area with the “edgy,
contemporary and bohemian” feel that has seen St Kilda
become one Melbourne’s most desirable addresses.
The resulting rapid development, rising rental costs and
changing demographic have all impacted on the availability and
affordability of studio space in the area, however in some cases
these changes have offered new opportunities. Many artists
inhabit spaces that St Kilda residents may walk past everyday
without knowing they are there.
120° of Separation offers a glimpse
of the work going on inside three of these studios and aims to
showcase the diverse group of emerging, experimental and
established artists that inhabit them.
The romantic notion of the artist studio is typified in the
derelict, Spanish Mission-style block of flats behind the Espy
Hotel in Victoria Street, soon to be transformed into luxury
apartments but presently functioning as Espy Artists
Studios. Current occupants include Alan
Mitelman, Judy Holding, Jason
Hartcup and Susie Hansen.
30 The Esplanade Studios,
conveniently located across from the Dog’s Bar and which
previously saw action as home to the Water Police Search &
Rescue, are now tenanted by such well known and respected artists
as Elizabeth Gower, Sue Ford
and Lewis Miller along with upcoming younger
artists such as Liat Azoulay and Amanda
Morgan.
Despite the recent resurgence of bowling, in the mid nineties
declining memberships at the St Kilda Bowling Club saw the rooms
converted into the St Kilda Bowling Club Studios.
Since 1998 painters, sculptors, photographers and performance
artists have worked under the same roof – these include company
in space, Betty Greenhatch and leading
Indigenous artist Julie Gough.
Gallery Hours are Tuesday – Sunday 1.00 – 6.00pm.
For further information and/or images please contact Linden
Programs Manager Jan Duffy on 9209 6794 or email info@lindenarts.org
Amy Barrett-Lennard
Director
Linden - St Kilda Centre for Contemporary Arts
26 Acland Street
St Kilda Victoria 3182
Australia
Tel: 03 9209 6794
Fax: 03 9525 4607
email: amy@lindenarts.org
website: http://www.lindenarts.org
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LOCAL KNOWLEDGE - SERIES II - MAY EVENT
Lights Camera Action!
St Kilda’s place in Melbourne’s film and
TV culture
As any local can tell you, film crews are a ubiquitous part of
St Kilda’s streetscape, whether they are capturing such
icons as Luna Park and St Kilda pier or exploring its atmospheric
back alleys, tree-lined streets, intriguing architecture and
colourful subcultures. Locals have become adept at turning a
blind eye to celebrities and dodging around film shoots. But if
you think it took The Secret Life of Us to attract the cameras,
think again.
St Kilda has been part of Australia's national film
history from the very start. When the Duke and Duchess of York
arrived in Australia to open the first parliament, in 1901,
Limelight Films, the pioneering film department of the Salvation
Army, were there to record their landing at St Kilda pier. And
when Amalgamated Pictures decided to film detective thriller The
Mystery of a Hansom Cab a decade later, the scenes around their
St Kilda studio supplied many of the locations.
St Kilda's continuing importance to film and TV culture
is the subject of a forum at Linden, St Kilda's Centre for
Contemporary Arts next Thursday, May 27th. As part of the St
Kilda Film Festival, it promises an entertaining and illuminating
discussion of the ways this local area continues to inspire
imaginations and nurture talent.
Among the speakers sharing their insights, anecdotes and
reflections are Tania Lacy, a comic, actor and writer well known
to TV and short-film audiences, and Drew Rhodes, a location
manager responsible for finding and overseeing locations for such
TV hits as MDA, Skithouse and The Secret Life of Us.
Joining them will be filmmaker Nigel Buesst, who was director
of the St Kilda Film Festival for six years, award-winning
writer/director Lawrence Johnson, best known for his films Night
Out, Eternity and Life, and Lizzette Atkins, and independent
producer with Balaclava-based Circe Films.
This event is the latest in the Local Knowledge series,
supported by the City of Port Phillip through its Cultural
Development Fund.
A free brochure detailing some of the most important cinemas,
locations and filmmaking organisations throughout the City of
Port Phillip will be launched at the event.
Date: Thursday 27th May 2004
Time: 6.30 pm
Place: Linden, 26 Acland Street, St. Kilda
Cost: $12 full, $10 concession, $8 Linden
Subscribers
Includes refreshments.
Bookings essential, Tel 9209 6794 or email admin@lindenarts.org
For further information please contact Linden Programs Manager
Jan Duffy on 9209 6794 or email info@lindenarts.org
This project has been assisted by the City of Port Phillip
Cultural Advisory Board through its Cultural Development fund.
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The City of Port Phillip has historically been home to many
artists, who have been drawn to its cheap rent, cosmopolitan
environment and proximity to the city.
However, recent rapid development, rising rental costs and a
changing demographic have had a negative impact on available and
affordable studio space. Although artists still enjoy living and
working in the area their existence is precarious. Many have
sought alternative accommodation - some using their homes as
studios and others shifting to outer suburbs.
Join a panel of local artists for a discussion on the impact
of social and economic change on artists’ space; if artist
space requirements have changed; and whether support should be
provided.
GUEST SPEAKERS
The evening will be chaired by Richard Holt,
an artist and writer who works for the City of Port Phillip. His
former studios in St Kilda and Middle Park have become luxury
housing and he now works from home in a neighbouring suburb.
Artist and curator David Hugh Thomas has had
more than 20 years experience in the field. He has worked from
his studio behind St Kilda’s Esplanade Hotel since 2000.
David has also lived and worked in New York where he had many
interesting and parallel experiences finding (and losing)
studios.
Elizabeth Gower is a well known and respected
local artist who has been exhibiting throughout Australia and
overseas since the mid 1970s. Her diverse practice and looming
deadlines have often led to desperate measures when acquiring
workspace – from converting her home into studio to hiring a
portable class room from the local primary school.
Hellen Sky is co artistic director of company
in space, a trans disciplinary collaboration that use
technology to explore the connections between image, sound and
the human body. company in space are original tenants of the
artists studios at the old St Kilda Bowling Club.
Ben Cobham is co director of bluebottle,
a theatrical lighting and design company based in South Melbourne
for over ten years. Ben’s current project, The
Impossible House, is a collaborative experiment that
extends theatrical design principles to architecture and the
concept of public space.
DATE Thursday 24th June 2004
TIME 6:30pm
PLACE Linden – St Kilda Centre for Contemporary Arts
COST $8 full $6 concession $5 Linden subscriber (includes glass
of wine)
BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL Tel 9209 6794 or email admin@lindenarts.org
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